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Hannah Flanagan's to celebrate 20 years downtown

Matt Johnes and Annie Battista are co-owners of Hannah Flanagan's Pub and Eatery, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this week.

MIKE DIRKS/TIMES-NEWS

By Mark SchulmanTimes-News Staff Writer

Published: Sunday, March 10, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, March 8, 2013 at 6:52 p.m.

A Hendersonville restaurant popular among locals and tourists alike will celebrate an important milestone this week, as March 19 marks The Original Hannah Flanagan's Irish Pub and Eatery's 20th anniversary.

The downtown Main Street restaurant is hard to miss, with its Irish green awning and glass facade facing the corner of Main Street and Third Avenue. Several important factors have kept the eatery alive over the past two decades, said co-owner Matt Johnes, who operates the business with co-owner and general manager Annie Battista.

“The most important thing is consistency, and that comes from having a good staff that has been here for a while and understands what they need to do to keep the food and service consistent,” Johnes said.

“When customers feel like they can keep coming back and they order the same dish whether it's a Tuesday morning or Friday night, they know the food is going to be the same.”

To celebrate, the restaurant will offer food specials based on prices 20 years ago. Hannah's prides itself on staples such as wings, burgers and fish-and-chips, which will be sold for around $5.99 to $6.99, Johnes said.

Popular beers at that time, such as Icehouse and Michelob Light, will also be on special, he said Tuesday morning before lunch as servers and cooks prepared for the influx of customers.

Wayne Bodley will perform live music at 7 p.m. Tuesday, along with giveaways, and at 5:30 p.m., Jose Cuervo promoters will visit.

“When people are getting off work, things on the bar side will really be kicking off,” Johnes said.

On March 19, the day of the anniversary, a select group of customers who have earned the covenant title of “Wall Finisher” will receive a $10 food credit to use that day, Johnes said. “Wall Finishers” are those who have drank each of the 95 flavors of beer on the “Beer Wall.”

Chris Battista was the first patron to conquer the “Beer Wall” shortly after Hannah's opened 20 years ago.

“This is hands down the best bar in town,” Chris Battista said. “They always take good care of you.”

Friend and fellow “Wall Finisher” Brent Kiel has been returning to Hannah's for 16 years. The comaraderie and closeness of friends is what brings him back.

“It's like ‘Cheers,' where everyone knows your name,” he said.

Another regular, Jon Weber, found his home at Hannah's two decades ago.

“It has a local, friendly atmosphere,” Weber said Wednesday as he bellied up to the bar with fellow “Wall Finishers.” Everyone is welcome here. There is an eclectic mix of clientele.”

Even during the bad times, the establishment has been a center of companionship. Kent Sizemore remembers one day in particular at Hannah's— the day America was attacked on Sept. 11.

“No one knew what was going on,” Sizemore said.

It was a scary time for the Hendersonville native, but he found solace at the restaurant shortly after the attack.

“This is where my friends are,” he said. “The great friends here are what really sticks in my mind.”

Battista said Hannah's is not only there for the customers, but for the community as well. The restaurant helps raise money for nonprofits such as Hands-On! A Child's Gallery and Mainstay's domestic violence shelter.

“It is very important to give back to the community,” said Battista, a Hendersonville native who recenetly celebrated her 10th anniversary with Hannah's. “We have come a long way. It's nice to see us grow as a business and a family.”

Throughout the year, customers flock in to celebrate events like the Apple Festival. But the No. 1 holiday for any Irish pub is St. Patrick's Day.

To keep with the Irish tradition, the pub will serve corned beef and cabbage along with green beer for the St. Patrick's Day March 17. Corned beef and cabbage will also be served Friday and Saturday.

History

The Original Hannah Flanagan's opened in 1993, named after one of the owner's descendants who emigrated from Ireland to America. Her portrait can be seen hanging in the bar.

A few years after Hannah's opened, new owners Ed and Toni Gillilan took over and added a second dining area. They also opened another location in Asheville.

Johnes, a Hendersonville native, bought the Hendersonville location in 2000. A third room opened on the other side of the first expansion in 2008.

The location at 300 Suite A N. Main St. was not always a restaurant. Capt. M.C. Toms built the brick structure in the late 1890s, and it was the first location of Justus Pharmacy before the Justuses built a new pharmacy across the street where Mike's on Main now sits, according to the book “From the Banks of the Oklawaha Vol. 2.”

For more information, visit www.theoriginalhannahflanagans.com or call 828-696-1665.

<p>A Hendersonville restaurant popular among locals and tourists alike will celebrate an important milestone this week, as March 19 marks The Original Hannah Flanagan's Irish Pub and Eatery's 20th anniversary. </p><p>The downtown Main Street restaurant is hard to miss, with its Irish green awning and glass facade facing the corner of Main Street and Third Avenue. Several important factors have kept the eatery alive over the past two decades, said co-owner Matt Johnes, who operates the business with co-owner and general manager Annie Battista.</p><p>“The most important thing is consistency, and that comes from having a good staff that has been here for a while and understands what they need to do to keep the food and service consistent,” Johnes said. </p><p>“When customers feel like they can keep coming back and they order the same dish whether it's a Tuesday morning or Friday night, they know the food is going to be the same.”</p><p>To celebrate, the restaurant will offer food specials based on prices 20 years ago. Hannah's prides itself on staples such as wings, burgers and fish-and-chips, which will be sold for around $5.99 to $6.99, Johnes said.</p><p>Popular beers at that time, such as Icehouse and Michelob Light, will also be on special, he said Tuesday morning before lunch as servers and cooks prepared for the influx of customers.</p><p>Wayne Bodley will perform live music at 7 p.m. Tuesday, along with giveaways, and at 5:30 p.m., Jose Cuervo promoters will visit. </p><p>“When people are getting off work, things on the bar side will really be kicking off,” Johnes said. </p><p>On March 19, the day of the anniversary, a select group of customers who have earned the covenant title of “Wall Finisher” will receive a $10 food credit to use that day, Johnes said. “Wall Finishers” are those who have drank each of the 95 flavors of beer on the “Beer Wall.”</p><p>Chris Battista was the first patron to conquer the “Beer Wall” shortly after Hannah's opened 20 years ago.</p><p>“This is hands down the best bar in town,” Chris Battista said. “They always take good care of you.”</p><p>Friend and fellow “Wall Finisher” Brent Kiel has been returning to Hannah's for 16 years. The comaraderie and closeness of friends is what brings him back. </p><p>“It's like 'Cheers,' where everyone knows your name,” he said.</p><p>Another regular, Jon Weber, found his home at Hannah's two decades ago.</p><p>“It has a local, friendly atmosphere,” Weber said Wednesday as he bellied up to the bar with fellow “Wall Finishers.” Everyone is welcome here. There is an eclectic mix of clientele.”</p><p>Even during the bad times, the establishment has been a center of companionship. Kent Sizemore remembers one day in particular at Hannah's— the day America was attacked on Sept. 11.</p><p>“No one knew what was going on,” Sizemore said.</p><p>It was a scary time for the Hendersonville native, but he found solace at the restaurant shortly after the attack.</p><p>“This is where my friends are,” he said. “The great friends here are what really sticks in my mind.”</p><p>Battista said Hannah's is not only there for the customers, but for the community as well. The restaurant helps raise money for nonprofits such as Hands-On! A Child's Gallery and Mainstay's domestic violence shelter. </p><p>“It is very important to give back to the community,” said Battista, a Hendersonville native who recenetly celebrated her 10th anniversary with Hannah's. “We have come a long way. It's nice to see us grow as a business and a family.” </p><p>Throughout the year, customers flock in to celebrate events like the Apple Festival. But the No. 1 holiday for any Irish pub is St. Patrick's Day.</p><p>To keep with the Irish tradition, the pub will serve corned beef and cabbage along with green beer for the St. Patrick's Day March 17. Corned beef and cabbage will also be served Friday and Saturday. </p><p><b>History</b></p><p>The Original Hannah Flanagan's opened in 1993, named after one of the owner's descendants who emigrated from Ireland to America. Her portrait can be seen hanging in the bar. </p><p>A few years after Hannah's opened, new owners Ed and Toni Gillilan took over and added a second dining area. They also opened another location in Asheville.</p><p>Johnes, a Hendersonville native, bought the Hendersonville location in 2000. A third room opened on the other side of the first expansion in 2008.</p><p>The location at 300 Suite A N. Main St. was not always a restaurant. Capt. M.C. Toms built the brick structure in the late 1890s, and it was the first location of Justus Pharmacy before the Justuses built a new pharmacy across the street where Mike's on Main now sits, according to the book “From the Banks of the Oklawaha Vol. 2.” </p><p>For more information, visit www.theoriginalhannahflanagans.com or call 828-696-1665.</p>